Why Healthy Kids Lead to Brighter Futures

By Laura Stewart

Jazzercise - Capital Clubhouse

More Child Health and Safety Articles

Why Healthy Kids Lead to Brighter Futures

In order to ensure healthy futures for our children, we all have to do our part to promote kids fitness in our communities. Jazzercise has been getting kids fit for more than 20 years through its Junior Jazzercise/Kids Get Fit program and as childhood obesity numbers continue to climb, it is even more essential today.

Jazzercise created Kids Get Fit in 1991 as a free fitness activity and classroom learning program. In its first year, we reached 95,000 children. Former President George Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger invited me to participate in the “Great American Workout” at the White House promoting National Fitness Month and children's fitness issues. And in 1992, Kids Get Fit teamed up with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and Arnold Schwarzenegger, to host the largest kids fitness event in history.

While kids fitness was important then, it is even more important today. The statistics are alarming. One in three children in the U.S. are overweight. Only one in three children achieves the minimum amount of physical activity they need daily. We need to break this cycle. We need to get our kids moving

In honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May, Jazzercise has challenged instructors worldwide to get kids fit in their communities. We have asked them to offer free Kids Get Fit events at schools to spread the message that fitness can and should be fun. We know the healthy habits children establish now will lead to longer lives and brighter futures.

With today's focus on healthy kids and Let's Move! with Michelle Obama, we can reverse these statistics. It takes all of us to make a difference. Please join us in this mission to get kids fit and together, let's move!